The subject matter herein relates generally to an electrical contact that is configured to be inserted into a plated thru-hole (PTH) and an electrical connector assembly that includes such electrical contacts.
Solderless press-fit electrical contacts are commonly used for mounting an electrical connector assembly to a circuit board in telecommunication equipment or other electronic devices. One example of such an electrical contact includes a compliant contact tail that is shaped to form a pair of beams that join each other at their respective ends with a contact void between the beams. Some of these electrical contacts may be characterized as eye-of-needle (EON) electrical contacts. The beams are configured to engage an interior wall of a corresponding PTH in the circuit board during a mounting operation. The configuration of the beams and the contact void allow the beams to be deflected radially inward by the interior wall as the contact tail is inserted into the PTH. Outer surfaces of the beams form a frictional engagement (e.g., interference fit) with the PTH. As such, an electrical connection between the electrical contact and the PTH may be established without the use of solder and with a reduced likelihood of damage occurring to the PTH and/or PCB, which may occur when using rigid electrical contacts.
Known electrical contacts and the corresponding electrical connector assemblies that include such contacts are typically designed for a particular device or certain equipment. For example, the contact tails of the electrical contacts may project from the mounting surface of an electrical connector assembly that is coupled to a circuit board. The contact tails are configured so that the beams engage a PTH of the circuit board at a certain distance from the mounting surface. While the electrical contacts may operate suitably with the electrical connector assembly, at some point during the lifetime of the device, it may be desirable to replace or modify certain parts within the device. The changes to the device, however, may effectively change the spatial relationship of the electrical connector assembly with respect to the circuit board. For example, the circuit board may be positioned further away from the mounting surface after the device is modified. Thus, a different electrical connector assembly may be required.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electrical connector assembly that is capable of engaging a circuit board at different spatial positions with respect to the mounting surface of the electrical connector assembly.